Longwell Retires as a Packer

Longwell Retires as a Packer

Despite playing in Minnesota for six seasons and one game with Seattle in 2012, Longwell wanted to hang up his cleats in Titletown.

Former kicker Ryan Longwell officially hung up his cleats today, choosing to retire asa member of the Green and Gold.

“Great to be a Green Bay Packer again and for the long haul, to be a packer is prettyspecial to us,” Longwell said.

Longwell began his career in San Francisco in 1997 as a non-drafted free agent. The49ers cut him in July and a day later he got a call from the reigning SuperBowl champs. With less than two months to beat out 3rd round draft choice BrettConway, Longwell made a promise as he boarded the plane to Green Bay.

“The last thing I told my dad was I'm going to be the kicker on Monday night, I don't know how but I'm going to do it. Andthe first game was against the Bears. I remember seeing the 38-yarder fly throughthe goal posts on the first drive and thinking no matter what happens from hereI'm good.”

Longwell grew up real fast -- the very next week in the rain in Philly, he missed afield goal to win the game with 15 seconds to go, snapping a 9-game win-streak.

“I'm running on, Brett's running off the field and he said be careful its gettingreally slick and I'm thinking alright, but I went through my same exact routineand I did end up slipping a little bit, but in the big picture that slip may havebought me 15 more years in the NFL.”

Good players learn from success and failure. Longwellalso learned how to choose his words carefully. He once made a remark during aninterview that rubbed people the wrong way.

“A stupid comment by a kid about Applebee’s gets people not liking you and rightfullyso... and what was meant to be kind of an off the cuff joke was taken out ofcontext.”

After nine years in Green Bay, Longwell's career took him to Minnesota, yet when itwas time to retire, he wanted to do so with the Packers. Longwell's good friendBrett Favre also played for Green Bay's arch rival and fans are wondering when#4 will make his trek back to Tiltetown.

“I feel like it will happen soon. I feel like everyone's in a good place about itand like I said, I think time heals everything and I think it’s his desire tobe here,” Longwell weighed in.

Only time will tell... and today it was Longwell's time to get his just dues.

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